$48 million Palm Beach County Animal Shelter Program Will Help Meet Zero Euthanasia Target
Animal shelters in Palm Beach County are still euthanized, but are much lower than in previous years.
Animal Care and Control Director Jan Steele recently appeared before a county commissioner to discuss the agency’s operations. One of the topics discussed is euthanasia rate.
Steele said the shelter won’t kill any animals, but sometimes there is no choice. She noted that unlike private shelters, county shelters must accept any animal that has been dropped. Some have behavioral problems; others are sick. The efforts to find these animals present challenges.
There is also a space problem. The facility is beyond capacity along Belvedere Road west of the toll road in Suburban West Palm Beach. As of July 20, the facility had 193 dogs and only enough space to accommodate 144. It has 172 cats and 100 dogs
Pets must be doubled or tripled or placed in a temporary crate while calling other shelters so some animals are adopted.
“We need to have four or five kennels to accommodate law enforcement,” Steele said.
Once all the options are exhausted, the animals are on the proposed euthanasia list, Steele and Veterinary Review. Still, Steele noted that the agency has greatly increased its release rate, i.e. the percentage of animals released from shelter without euthanasia.
In 2023, the release rate is 86%. Five years ago, it was only 69%. In 2013, more than 9,300 animals had to be killed. The figure is 1,221 in 2024.
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How does animal control reduce its euthanasia rate?
Kingsford and Daisy’s right Kensy were co-located on August 22, 2023 at an animal care and control facility in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Steele said the community is more aware of what the shelter does, which provides nearly 10,000 animals a year.
More and more people are volunteering. The county has expanded its free sterilization products for cats and dogs. The agency has also increased the number of community partners that attract pets in shelters.
The county had hoped to achieve its goal of zero euthanasia by 2024. In 2014, the county commissioner adopted a resolution that sets the goal of ending euthanasia for all adopted dogs and cats that year. The county realized that this would not happen, so it extended the deadline for “countdown” animal killings by 10 years.
Charts show that animals are euthanized less in animal care and control
More: Animal Care and Control are getting a new $48 million facility with required air-conditioned dog kennel
The county has approved plans to establish new facilities for animal care and control. Construction is expected to begin sometime this winter.
The $48 million makeover at the plant will more than double, including air-conditioned doghouses. It will allow more animals to accommodate. Steele notes that sick animals will be placed in isolation facilities, allowing veterinary care to be provided at a higher level.
“We don’t have to just because there is no place to accommodate pets,” she said.
Mike Diamond is a journalist Palm Beach Postpart of the USA Today Florida Network. He covers the Palm Beach County Government. You can reach him mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local news. Subscribe now.
This article originally appeared in Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach County Animal Shelter Euthanasia Rate Falls
